Poultry feeder



Patented Nov. 23, 1948 PoUL'rRY FEEDER Vernon Severance, Saginaw, and Charles L. Severance, Akron, Mich.

Application November 1, 1946, Serial No. 707,158

This invention relates to improvements in poultry feeders wherein Vfeeding hoppers` and troughs are employed.

The object of our invention is to provide a poultry feeder of such type that is adapted for use either out of doors Where a storage bin or hopper of relatively small capacity is desired and where feeding troughs are required to be equipped with shed roofs that are wide enough and low enough to fairly protect the feed in the troughs against rain and storms.

The same equipment, after being rearranged as to certain of its side wall and top members, immediately becomes especially adapted for indoor use.

This latter use requires considerably larger volume for feed storage; does not require Iany wide shed roof or shoulder over the feed troughs; but does require to be considerably narrower than the same device when adjusted for out-of-door use, as just mentioned, in order that it can-be easily passed through an ordinary door.

The device of our invention, therefore, is made so as to be quickly converted from the requirements for indoorjuse to service out-of-doors, as will be explained.

More specifically, the objects of the invention are, tol provide a poultry feeder comprising a grain storage or feeding bin which is common to both aspects and uses of the complete deviceso the grain will feed out from the bottom edge of a baille plate into a side trough in the usual manner.-

According to our improvement, We equip such a bin and trough device with the following special and additional features that are characteristic of our invention. Such special features are associated with the upper part of the bin and consist of twohinged panels, which in their lowered position provide shed roofs over" the two grain troughs, and in their upright position provide side walls for an additional storage bin for feed, which is in effect an upward extension of the main feed bin alluded to.

Two other panels, hinged to the upper edges-of the main feed bin, at its two ends, are adapted to be folded down inside the bin so to lie against its end walls out of the way when the side panels are in their shed-roof position; but when Ithe side panels are upright the two end panels also are swung to vertical position and form end walls for the upper extension of the storage bin.

When the four panels are upright, they are covered by a V-shaped roof-member; and when the four panels are in their down-position the bottom part of the feed bin is covered by a combination of the V-shaped roof member and the side panels, in overlapped relation. l"

It is thus seen that the objects are to provide a convertible poultry feeder which in one form 3 claims. (c1. 11s-52) Y 2 shall be suited to indoor cations, Fig. 1 is a front view in perspective, show ing our improved feeder arranged for indoor use;

Fig.v 2 is the same device rearranged for outdoor use;

Fig. 2a is afragmentary detail showing a pre` ferred arrangement of a lip on the outer edge of the feed trough;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the parts shown in Fig. 2, the V-shaped roof member being shown detached, and the legs broken away; and

Fig. 4 is an end view showing in full lines the indoor arrangement as in Fig. 1, and in dotted lines showing the positions of the two side panels and the end panels turned down for out-of-door use, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The main feed binconsists in end walls l with curved bottom 2, which is slightly raised and curved as at 2a along the longitudinal center line of the bin l, and side walls 3 of conventional type with vertical spaces at their bottom to allow grain to iiow outwardly to supply the feed troughs 4.

The bin I is mounted on skids 5 that are vertically adjustable at 6 by adjustment means to suit the size of the birds at various stages of their growth. j f

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, numeral l designates the unitary cover that fits the feeder in either its indoor arrangement, Fig. 1, or the outdoor arrangement Fig. 2.

Numeral 8, in generaLdesignates the upward extension of the bin to provide increased space for feed such as grain or mash.

One of the important features of our invention resides in the combination of hinged panel devices, whereby the arrangement of Fig. 1 can be changed into that of Fig. 2, and vice versa, without requiring the use of extra parts to convert from indoor to outdoor service. The parts referred to are the panels 9, 9, which are hinged atIU to the `upper edges of the side walls 3, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The hinged edges of 9, 9 are spaced apart equal to the distance between side walls 3, 3, and the overhang of panels 9 is supported by the beveled top edges of thel end walls I, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. y

The end panels l are hinged at their edges Ha` to theupper edges of end walls I, the hinges being' indicated by numerall2. When the two end panels Il are raised from their concealment position, Fig. 3, to their upright position, Figs. 1 and 4, they become upward extensions of the use, and in another form, made by changing the roof member and the four walls I; but when they are turned down on their hinges I2 they again fold flat inside the bin and against the inner faces-of the, walls, as shown in Fig. Sand indicated lby dotted lihjes,ir1"`]5i','g".r 4i;I

The indoor arrangement, Figs. 1 and 4, provides maximum storage capacity in minimumi; 1

Iioor space. Thus surplus feed can be stored the upward extension 8, even though it mayn' be required for immediate use. Byremoving the.. 0 i

unitary cover 1, as shown in Figfijgfain'calnbe scooped out from the part 8, just as in an ordinary storage bin.

Having thus' described our'invention, what We claim and desire to secure by,Letters Patent is:

1. A feeder having a main feed bin comprising lsidlwa'lls, end walls, and feeding troughs communie ating with the bin; in combination with an endlpanel'ihingd' to the top of each end wall, adapted to be folded downwardly against such end'walls'g yor'ezdzf'afided upwardly to present an In the form of Fig. 1 the device is -.nar row enough to permit it to fpass through a doorway readily when it is desired to move it indoors, or c )iitlof-doors,v or from 'one room to another inside thepo'ultry house;v f

When adjusted for outdoor vu`s'le"pane1sf 9slope downwardly and act as widefoverhangingfeaves to protect thev contents of fthe feed troughs 4f by sheddingwater and'also' to protect the birds'fwhile' feedingevenin driving'rain. The attendant'need not pay any special attention" to the feeder lwhen a storm is approaching; for 'everything is protect- The-feed orgrain down tn'roughtne-luppef bin Sand the -lower bin, Fig; 1,' or from the lower bin onlyas in Fig. 2, is free flowing not only when easily vflowing' grains are being fed; but also with the :most obstinate mashes.

The outer edges 4a of feed troughs 4 'mayjifdesired; be providedwith an inwardly projecting horizontal'v lip (shown` infFig." 2a) Ato Vprevent the"4 birds from; hooking; by:` which v is meant usingd their'bills to -slide'someof'the feed 'outontothe floor.

The adjustment mean's' regulating thel height of the feedtrughs vabove lthe '-grou'rid' or flooris a desirable feature'oinourcV improvement. Th? adjustment lilvari'es-the heightffof the'ffeeding edge 4a -to suit -the changing l' heights? of- 'gr'o'wing'ff birds and 'permits -the birds to vfeed lwhile 'they'are standing-on the groundor lfioorand thusfeatI without unnecessary effort."

In lpractice our convertible i feeder" meets 2 allA practical requirements V`Vfor economical al1-yeararound feeding-program.`

In warm weather when outside "feed is 'ava'i'lL" able the birds do considerable scratch feeding 'and' use thefequipment assembled `as shown in Fig'.l2 to y`-bes`t advantage.l Consequently thefrnain or: lower 'feed bin is utilizedbecause ithas ample feeding capacity for'outdoor conditions. Also*- duringoutdoor service the panelsfa'piotect'sthe feeding" troughs `4 from the Eweather,j as` above 'de-1,

scribed.

When the cold season approachesthe deviceis converted to' the vform yshown in Fig.f11,uand is drawn on its skids into the poultrybuilding: The: panels 9,9 being folded up zasy shown in Fig-.21.- en-f' able the equipment to be pulledthroughdoors. because of the narrower width 'of'rthevde'vicef Also, for indoor usethose vpanels are -not 'neededand are up out of thel way.; givingplenty of light near the feeding troughs 4. The storage capacity indoors -is about' double thatfrequired-ffoir'outw door use because offthe -addedextension- 8:v This isnecessary because poultry-houses during-severe,` weather may have toremainfclosed'for aconsiderable lengthof time, requiringwa'larger*supply of feed to be accessible in the troughsf-,In-fact,Y a -large -partvof vthe feed--supply 'canebefstored' during-.the cold seasonin the extension-18.--YetA anytime ity is desiredto take foodf-out'fof storage:

upper 4extension wall of said bin; a side panel hinged"to`the upper end-of each side wall of said main feed bin and adapted to be swung intoposition toutwardly f' and downwardly therefrom 'and also'i extended upwardly to present ian upperfside wall extension of said bin;iantifacoverA fof-,the niain bin'j'wh'en thej'side and end' walls are "inf their respectivedown lici'ositions, and for the-upper ei'ztension of'themaingbin when' the endandrside' panels` "are"raised ;y thej s aid 'side 'pa'n'els inY theird `w`i'"1'posit'ii'oi'i'S presenting waterA shedding vroofs to protect'j'saidjfeed Atroughsf'from' the weath er, and adapted when 'raised` to reduce-"the*over-#al1- width of thefeeder, and'to Vincrease the-'storage capacity of the bin.

.2H-Ina poultry feeder having ajbiri with' fixed' end and side Awalls'"'andfeeding"troughs; means l for altering such bin so as to suit different re-A quiie'nients of usef'said means comprisingincomi ments*y of' use; said Ameans' 'comprising a side panel attached'toeachside lwall 'of said bin and adapted to Ybeshifted'from'a' downwardand outwardslop'a ing-'position relative tosaid sideiwall `to'an up# right'eXt'ende'd* 'position' beyond 'the -upper edge l ofisaidfwall; 'the vsaidside panels,v -in ysuch 'upi'x wardlyextendedpositions, Itogether constitutingsides oban-*upper feed storage extension of such" binv and A`in` their downf positions presenting froof-f portions that project over saidfeedingytroughs."

'VERNON-SEVER/ANCE;

CHARLES 'L. -SEN/"EJRANCELA 

